June 25, 2014: It gives me great happiness to see you here today. As we all know, today is a very important day in the life of my administration. Yesterday, I made a Special Broadcast to mark my first 100 Days in office as your governor. Today, I will offer you an insight into the scorecard of my administration in the past 100 Days. Beyond that, I will also show you a roadmap to the future of Anambra State.

Ndi Anambra, the Vision of my administration is “for Anambra State to become the 1st Choice Investment Destination and a hub for industrialization and commercial activities.”

Our Mission is “to create a socially stable, business friendly environment that will attract both indigenes & foreigners to seek wealth creating opportunities in Anambra State.”

To realize our vision and mission statements, we have evolved what we call the Four Pillars of Development. The Four Pillars are the vehicle through which accelerated development will be delivered to Ndi Anambra. They include – Agriculture, Industrialization, Trade & Commerce and Oil and Gas.

Interestingly, the Four Pillars are firmly supported by what we call the Enablerswhich include – Security, Education, Health, the Environment, Social Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development, Tourism, Youth and Sports Development, Security & Social Welfare and Administration and Local Government among others.

Ndi Anambra, 100 days down the road, we have laid the necessary foundation for growth. I will now give you a brief overview of what we have done –

In the Area of SECURITY, we have reclaimed our cities and communities from kidnappers and armed robbers. We have arrested 177 kidnappers out of which 97 are currently undergoing prosecution. We have destroyed their warehouses where they keep their victims and cut off their weapons supply lines and now, my beloved Ndi Anambra can sleep with both eyes closed.

In AGRICULTURE, we have started a revolution that will increase food sufficiency and create massive employment. In partnership with the Coscharis Group, we have commissioned the Coched Farms Project to produce 120,000 metric tons of rice per annum and generate 1000 jobs for our youths.

In ROAD CONSTRUCTION, we have flagged off the construction of 14 new roads across Anambra, totalling up to 167.494 kilometres. We have also commenced the construction of 3 flyovers in Awka and one bridge that leads to the oilfields of Aguleri.

In TRADE & COMMERCE, we have rolled out a 10-year Industrial Development Plan and commenced the development of new markets in Ogbunike, Oba, Awka and Umunze.

In OIL & GAS, we have commenced plans to ensure that Anambra is recognized as Nigeria’s 10th oil producing state.

In LOCAL GOVERNMENT Administration, we have cleared all outstanding arrears of pension and gratuity to 644 pensioners totalling up to the sum of N946, 571, 926.46k.

In EDUCATION, we have upwardly reviewed the staff salaries of Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe and approved the payment of N10m to ensure the completion of the NUT House in Awka.

In HEALTH, we have performed a number of highly successful free surgeries in Umueri General Hospital and established a Maternal and Child Health clinic in Nanka.

In the ENVIRONMENT, we have launchedOperation Keep Anambra Clean and aTree Planting Campaign.

In Building a BEFITTING CAPITAL CITY, we have flagged off the construction of 3 flyovers and a 3 Arms Zone in Awka and set up the new Awka Capital Territory Development Board with a view to transforming Awka into a super-modern city that we shall all be proud of.

In INFORMATION, CULTURE & TOURISM, we have taken the necessary steps to develop the historic Ogbunike Cave into a world class tourist destination and appointed new MD/CEOs for Anambra Broadcasting Service ABS and National Light newspaper.

In YOUTHS DEVELOPMENT, we have commenced a comprehensive collection of data on Anambra youths with a view to placing them in gainful employment.

Ndi Anambra, in 100-Days, my administration has done all these and more. A more comprehensive detail of what we have achieved will be sent to your mailboxes after this ceremony.

We have tested our own strength and seen that indeed, like our fathers before us, we are capable of great things.

But we have also realized that if we build only roads and bridges and forget the building of our social and psychological consciousness, our foundation for future greatness would have been laid on quick sand.

For that reason, a major part of our ceremony today is devoted to the formal awakening of what I call the SPIRIT of ANAMBRA.

The Spirit of Anambra is the inherent kinetic energy behind the numerous accomplishments of our people in education, commerce and industry, sports, literature & the arts, politics and science and other fields of human endeavour. It is the light we bear to every corner of the world in pursuit of happiness and our readiness to absorb or be absorbed into diverse cultures of the world. The Spirit of Anambra is a high-achieving spirit that finds motivation in itself and fulfilment in the achievement of others.

It is the spirit of Egbe belu, ugo belu!

Ndi b’anyi, before I lead you into the symbolism of lighting up the Spirit of Anambra, I shall attempt to define the essence of Onye Anambra.

Who is Onye Anambra?

We are a great people of extra-ordinary heritage. Our heritage has been enriched by a profound clash of civilizations in the later stages of the 18th Century and the bitter experience of a civil war.

We are a proud, hardworking and proud people with a capacity to adapt and flourish in any part of the world.

We are individually brilliant but collectively we have yet to put our individual brilliance together to produce a mighty beam of light that will announce our presence on earth as a group. And that is why we are performing this segment of the ceremony today to mark the beginning of our collective quest for excellence as a group.

Along these same lines, we have held fruitful deliberations with the leadership of the Anambra State House of Assembly for the immediate passage of a parliamentary instrument that will facilitate the adoption of the new symbols of the socio-cultural identity of Anambra State.

They include a new emblem, a new anthem and a new flag as well as distinctive colours that will be synonymous with Anambra State.

Ladies and gentlemen, Ndi Anambra, I present to you the soon-to-be-adopted corporate symbols of Anambra State. • Chief Obiano, a retired banker, is the Governor of Anambra State of Nigeria

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